Sharpen a Timber Scribe

This ain't in your table saw book.

The Otter timber scribe that I use for engraving straight lines needs sharpening when it arrives – but not much. It’s basically a tight-radius carving gouge that has been David Cronenberged to a pocket knife.

So if you sharpen carving gouges, you don’t need to read another word. Just do that to the U-shaped cutter of the timber scribe and get down to work.

For the non-carvers, here is one way to do it.

Because I have to sharpen a lot of odd tools for the classes I teach, I have developed ways of dealing with curved bevels. More specifically, curved bevels that have been abused by new students. The best solution I’ve found is electric-powered polishing.

I use the inexpensive Razor Sharp system on a cheap (read “borrowed from Megan”) grinder for many tools. Plus I press my table saw into service when possible. The equipment is minimal and cheap. I bought a $24 disc sanding plate from Woodcraft. This turns your table saw into a disc grinder and polisher. And the disc tilts.

On one face of the…